While coastal zones around the world are often the most densely populated parts of a country, the exact opposite is true in Namibia. In fact, it is only in recent decades that comparatively large numbers of people have settled along the Namibian coast, mainly as immigrants from elsewhere in the country. In addition, almost everyone on the coast is concentrated in a handful of towns, rather than being scattered in fishing and farming villages, as is typically the case along many other coasts. The only remaining, long-standing residents are limited to a few hundred Aonin (colloquially called Topnaar) people in Walvis Bay and along the Kuiseb River.